Phonetic teaching device

Abstract

Teaching devices are provided which include a transparent element simulating a human head and movable elements simulating articulating organs such as a lower jaw, front and rear portions of a tongue and an uvula, such movable elements being connected to control rods which are manually operable to place the movable elements in positions normally used to produce particular sounds. In addition, elements of elastomeric material having spiral springs cast therein are provided and are operable through tensioned wires for simulating the larynx and lips and positions thereof. A cassette carrying an endless magnetic tape is insertable into a slot in the device and a reproducing head is positioned for cooperation with any selected one of a plurality of tracks on the tape to reproduce a sound corresponding to the positions of the movable elements.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. In a teaching device, indicating means for indicating the forms of a plurality of articulation organs used during the oral production of sound and the positions of said plurality of articulation organs during the natural oral production of a particular sound, and control means for selective operation of said indicating means to indicate the positions of said organs during the natural oral production of a plurality of particular sounds, said indicating means comprising a plurality of indicating members having physical forms corresponding to said plurality of articulation organs, and said control means comprising means for selectively positioning said plurality of indicating members, head structure means associated with said indicating members for indicating the form of internal passage walls which cooperate with said articulation organs in the production of sounds and the relationship of said internal passage walls to said articulation organs represented by said indicating members, said indicating members including rear and front tongue members for representing rear and front parts of a tongue, first pivot means for supporting said rear tongue member for pivotal movement and also for longitudional forward and rearward movements relative to said head structure means, and second pivot means for supporting said front tongue member from said rear tongue member. 
     
     
       2. In a device as defined in claim 1, said control means comprising a plurality of independently operable control rods connected to said indicating members. 
     
     
       3. In a teaching device as defined in claim 2, at least one of said control rods including a Bowden cable. 
     
     
       4. In a teaching device as defined in claim 1, said indicating members further including a lower jaw member and a uvula member for representing the lower jaw and uvula as used together in the production of sound and additional pivot means for supporting said lower jaw and uvula members for pivotal movement about horizontal axes relative to said head structure means. 
     
     
       5. In a teaching device as defined in claim 1, said rear tongue member having a longitudinal slot therein, and said first pivot means including a spindle extending through said slot for providing said relative longitudinal as well as pivotal movement of said rear tongue member. 
     
     
       6. In a teaching device, indicating means for indicating the forms of a plurality of articulation organs used during the oral production of sound and the positions of said plurality of articulation organs during the natural oral production of a particular sound, and control means for selective operation of said indicating means to indicate the positions of said organs during the natural oral production of a plurality of particular sounds, said indicating means comprising a plurality of indicating members having physical forms corresponding to said plurality of articulation organs, and said control means comprising means for selectively positioning said plurality of indicating members, at least one of said indicating members being a deformable member of elastomeric material having springs cast therein, and said control means comprising means controlling deformation of said deformable member. 
     
     
       7. In a teaching device as defined in claim 6, said deformable member representing a trachea wall. 
     
     
       8. In a teaching device as defined in claim 6, said deformable member representing one lip, and an additional deformable member representing a second lip, said control means comprising wires arranged to be selectively controlled in tension to move said deformable members toward and away from each other.